Chapter 2
Found
The Burrow, Harry's 17 th Birthday party.
Tuesday, July 31, 2004. 9 o'clock a.m.
A darkly clad figure lay face first in the grass at the base of Burrow hill, his breathing short and shallow as Remus and Harry approach. Harry automatically recognizes the tuft of platinum blond hair sticking out from under the cloak and he stands ridged with his wand trained on the form as Remus inspects the boy more closely. Mrs Weasley rushes over to them and gasps when she sees the blood caked across Draco's cheek. Their birthday party for Harry had been interrupted when Ginny had yelped and pointed at a mysterious figure collapsing at the base of the hill.
''Bring him inside boys. Put him in the living room.'' Molly finally speaks, her voice decisive and determined.
Harry glances at her only for a moment, taking note of her trembling hands and softened eyes before bending to help Remus. Not that the Professor needed help. Remus had lifted the boy with ease and had carried him halfway to the house before Harry could even clear his mind enough to think. So instead, Harry grips Mrs Weasley around the shoulders and walks with her to the house, his eyes constantly watching for any sign of hostility from the unconscious blond in Remus's arms.
Once they have Draco in the house and situated on the living room couch, Mrs Weasley is more able to inspect his wounds.
Molly pulls the cloak from around his shoulders and tosses it to the floor, quickly to be joined by the dragon-hide bag that Draco had slung across his shoulders. The emerald muscle shirt that Draco is wearing looks wet in places and when Molly runs a hand over those spots she pulls her hand back stained with red. She clucks her tongue and begins pulling the shirt gently from his skin, being extra careful where the blood had crusted between the split flesh and fabric. Harry watches as a semi-unconscious Draco writhes in pain. Lupin springs forward to hold the boy still as Molly pulls the boy's arms from the sleeves and turns him gently on his side to examine his back. Both sides of him are laced with cruel slash marks and his body is a maze of bruises. He also looks as tho he may have a broken jaw. Tears leak from the old mother's eyes at the thought of what could possibly have caused so much hurt on a single person. Especially a boy so young.
Ginny Weasley steps timidly into the living room. ''Mum? Who is it?'' Ginny peers over her mother's shoulder and her eyes grow wide. Her stomach churns and she begins to tremble at the site of so much blood. Harry turns to her and grips her by the shoulders.
''You don't need to be seeing this Ginny. You should get away from the living room and go in the kitchen with everyone else.'' Harry says gently, trying to nudge her away. Ginny brakes her sight from the ripped up Malfoy and glares hard at Harry, clenching her jaw and fists.
''No! Shove off Harry. I'm gonna help Mum.'' She pushes his arms off and she brushes past him to her mother's side, swallowing the bile that had risen in her throat. Harry looks hurt for a moment but Ginny doesn't see it. He turns his back and steps outside to escape the stench.
Inside, Mrs Weasley begins ordering people around and the occupants of the Burrow begin skittering around to help. Once they have removed the barbed rope from around his arms, they carry Draco to the second floor and put him in Percy's old room. Ginny is sent to find her mother's healing potions and bandages, Ron is sent for water and Bill and his father stand by unless the boy wakes while Molly is tending him.
When Ginny comes back they have Draco striped down to his undershorts and her mother is gently sponging away the grime and blood. Ginny had never seen Malfoy looking so weak... or dirty for that matter. Finally, Molly gives up and summons a large tub. Ginny is made to leave the room and Remus sets the boy in the tub once the last of his clothing is removed. As Molly sponges the boy down, she realizes that his shoulder is at a very odd angle and with a pained glint in her eyes, realizes that it is dislocated. Remus steps forward.
''I'll set his shoulder for you Molly, just help me sit him up a bit.'' He says softly, lifting the boy and setting the bones back in place with a sickening scraping sound. Draco is still feverishly unconscious. Once the water is a murky red-ish green color Molly banishes the water out the window into the garden and replaces it with clean, soapy water from her wand. She scrubs Draco gently from head to toe and banishes the red water again before beginning to heal the boy's cuts. The whip marks and bruises disappear easily enough but the marks on his arms from the barbed rope that they had removed wont heal by any potion or spell that she has. She washes the boy down again to remove the last of the blood and Bill redresses him in a pair of Percy's old pajama bottoms. Ginny is then called back into the room and she helps her mother bandage Draco's arms, setting his left arm in a sling. They finally set him to bed, waiting for him to awake.
Ginny tiptoes to the kitchen late that night, hoping to find some solace in a hot cup of tea and finds Harry instead, sitting with his hands in his lap and his head bowed nearly to his chest.
There was once a time when Ginevra Weasley would have been scared out of her mind to walk in on Harry like that but that was long ago. The new Ginny merely stepped into the kitchen and began reaching for the tea kettle, humming softly. Harry jumps and stares at her once he realizes that he is no longer alone and watches her as she sets a pot of tea boiling. Ginny finally sits at the table as she waits for the water to boil, pulling out a newspaper and beginning to read silently.
''... Hello.'' Harry says, clearing his voice gruffly. Ginny looks up from her paper.
''Hi.'' She replies before turning her face back down, hoping that he would take a hint.
'' So, um... you couldn't sleep either?'' He persists. Ginny doesn't look up from her paper this time.
''No I'd rather not have nightmares tonight, so I figure as long as I don't sleep... ever... then I'll forget what he looked like lying so helplessly there.'' Harry nods solemnly and Ginny rolls her eyes. She turns back to her newspaper, hoping to have peace. A few moments later she hears him again.
''So um... You gonna be in Quidditch this year?'' Ginny sighs heavily and looks at him again.
''Maybe.''
She pulls the sports section out of the paper and hands it to him, hoping to shut him up. Harry glances at the sports section and finally gives in, reading to himself silently. Ginny hears the kettle begin whistling and she stands, intent on making a big pot of tea for her mother. Before going upstairs with the tea, she pushes a large mug of it into Harry's hands. Harry stares after her, watching as her hips sway back and forth with her even, calm steps. Harry shakes his head and sips his tea, feeling the tangy fluid clear his sleep deprived mind.
Ginny walks up the stairs toward Percy's old room, humming a lullaby to herself as she goes. Why had Harry been trying to make small talk with her? Did he honestly believe that it would make up for ignoring her all summer? And to think... She had believed him when he said he liked her on the train ride home last year. She rolls her eyes and pushes quietly into Percy's old room. Molly Weasley is sitting, half asleep in the chair next to Draco. Ginny walks over to her and shakes her shoulder gently.
''Mum... come on. I brought you some tea.'' Mrs Weasley jumps a bit and looks at her daughter, smiling sleepily at the tea cups. She takes one of the mugs and Ginny pours her a cup.
''Ginny dear, could you sit up with him? I need some sleep.'' Ginny's smile fades a bit but she nods.
''Alright Mum. Go ahead.'' Molly smiles at her daughter and putters from the room, leaving the mug of tea untouched on the tray. Ginny shakes her head good naturedly and sips her tea. She looks over at her sleeping charge. She tries to wrap her mind around the fact that this is the same boy that had tortured her brother and Harry for all of their years at Hogwarts. The one who is rich and spoiled and was supposed to have everything. He had never bothered her really... He had hardly ever even noticed her, which was rare for anyone to do really. Ginny sets her mug down with shaking hands and watches Draco sleep in her brother's bed.
Percy had been the only one who really listened to her. Whenever the rest of the family was ignoring her, Ginny knew that she could go and sit with Percy anytime. In the very same chair that she is sitting in right now. He would listen to her problems or not. He would let her decide what she wanted to do. That was something that Ginny never got from everyone else. He had never treated her like a child...
She pauses. Draco looks so very sad. She thinks to herself looking at his baby-soft hair falling in his face. It had gotten longer than the last time she had seen him and is now hanging about to his perfect, aristocratic nose. His lips are no longer curled into his usual smirk but are loosely parted and she can hear his raged breath cross them as he sleeps. She smiles and brushes the hair from his eyes before leaning back in the chair and letting her thoughts drift.
When Ginny wakes the next morning, she is in her own bed. She opens her eyes sleepily and sighs. One of the boys must have put her there after she had fallen asleep. She gets up and rubs the back of her head sleepily. She is still in her clothes from the night before so she grabs some different clothes and goes to take a shower. When she gets there however it is already occupied and has a line of 3 more people. Ginny groans and slumps against the wall next to Harry
''Did you sleep well last night Ginny?'' He asks. She looks at him crossly.
''Not really. I watched Malfoy for a bit so Mum could sleep but I guess I fell asleep cause I woke up in my room this morning. Harry nods.
''Yeah. I know about that part. I'm the one who put you there.'' Ginny stares at him for a moment longer before turning away and standing to go back down stairs.
''Forget this. I'm going to breakfast.'' She grouches, slumping downstairs and grabing a piece of honey covered toast and a glass of milk. As she rises to trudge upstairs for her bath, her mother stops her.
''Ginny dear, could you take this tray up to Draco? He woke up this morning and I'm sure he's hungry.'' Molly says, holding a tray of light soup out. Ginny rolls her eyes and takes the tray from her mother. First last night and now this. Ginny trudges upstairs and knocks on the door to Percy's old room.
Draco's P.O.V
Draco snaps out of his thoughts as a soft knock sounds from the door.
''Yeah I'm awake.'' Draco watches as a petite redhead enters the room with a tray in her hands.
Ginny Weasley stands at the foot of his bed, glaring at him as his surprised eyes trail over her body. The weaselette has grown up. He thinks lewdly. Her once far to skinny legs had grown strong and shapely, leading to firm, round thighs and perfect hips. Her pudgy little tummy had whittled down quite a bit and her chest had near exploded in to a pair of plump little breasts. His eyes meet her face. She still has the freckles but most of them had faded and now and she only had a small splatter of them across the bridge of her nose. She still had the little button of a nose that he had always secretly liked but her lips had grown full and red over the summer, just begging to be snogged senseless. Her once dull, carrot colored locks had darkened and turned a vibrant, silky, wine color, dashing messily across her face. Draco's eyes finally meet her's and he sees the anger sparkling back from their cinnamon depths. He smirks at her.
''Well, well... looks like the little weaselette has grown up.'' He says in reply to her fiery glare.
''Oh shove it Malfoy. I'm only hear because Mum made me bring you tea. I'm not here for your mouth.'' Draco runs his tongue across his bottom lip and he bites it a little.
''Thats a shame... you don't know what you're missing.'' He replies cockily. Ginny scowls at him and he watches in fascination as she swiftly sets up his breakfast table. Every move that she makes in efficient. Not a wasted breath as she pulls the bedside table over with one hand and sets up his tray. She finishes and glares at him, Draco smirks back.
''There's a good girl now run along and play with the other little redheaded weasels.'' Ginny strides forward and Draco flinches slightly, thinking she is about to hit him. Instead she smiles amusedly and tucks another pillow behind his back.
''Whats the matter Ferret-boy? Scared of a little girl?'' She asks cheekily.
''Of course not, but you would flinch too if you had been through what I've been through.'' Ginny's face grows serious.
''What did happen to you Malfoy?'' She asks seriously. Draco sneers.
''None of your business Weasley. Now run along and leave the big bad Malfoy to his breakfast before he gobbles you up instead.'' Ginny snorts.
''I wouldn't let you touch me with a thirty-foot pole Malfoy.''
''And I wouldn't try. I'd be afraid it would shrivel up and fall of at the sight of you.'' He replies cruelly. Ginny glares and stalks out of the room, her dress flipping up with her steps to reveal more leg. Draco watches with interest. Maybe his stay with the Weasleys wouldn't be so bad after all...
It had certainly been a shock for him at first to wake up with the littlest Weasley asleep next to his bed. Once he had glanced around, however, his astonishment vanished. Mismatched furniture, ancient beat up rugs... of course this was the Weasleys' house. He had pretended to be asleep when scar-head had come in to carry the girl out and then again when one of the older Weasley boys, one Draco had never met... had an earing and all, came in to take the girls place. It had bothered him at first but then he thought... why not... It would be the last place on earth that his father would look for him... and it was a ton better than ending up with some muggle family. Hell... he even had something vaguely interesting to think about now. Draco sighs and turns to his breakfast.
Ginny Weasley finally crawls into the shower, trying to scrub away all the things Draco Malfoy had said about her. She turns the water on so hot that she feels like her skin is being boiled away and begins scrubbing herself from head to toe. Once she is scrubbed raw, she switches the water to freezing cold and rinses herself off. She steps out of the shower and wraps a towel around her chest, looking in the mirror. She honestly doesn't know what the git saw in her... Great! Now he's got you thinking about him... this can't be good Ginevra. Ginny rings out her hair in the sink and towel dries it quickly. She flicks her half dry hair over her shoulder and steps out of the bathroom crossing the hall to her own room.
